Planet Fitness revokes woman's membership after transgender complaint

(CNN)—A Michigan woman lost her Planet Fitness membership over the "inappropriate" manner in which she complained about a transgender woman in the locker room, a gym spokeswoman said.

Yvette Cormier's membership was not canceled for simply raising the issue, "as we welcome all feedback from our members," said McCall Gosselin, director of public relations at Planet Fitness Corporate.

Rather, it was the manner in which she expressed her concerns that club management felt was inappropriate, resulting in the cancellation, Gosselin said.

Cormier stands by her actions in a case that has drawn attention to transgender rights.

"This is all new to me. I didn't go out to specifically bash a transgender person that day. I was taken aback by the situation," Cormier told CNN. "This is about me and how I felt unsafe. I should feel safe in there."

The mother of two says she was acting out of concern for her safety and the privacy of other female gym members when she raised the issue on Saturday, February 28.

She went to the front desk after someone who looked like a "man" entered the women's locker room while she was changing.

"I wanted to know why there was a man in the women's locker room," she told CNN. "He looked like a man, and that's what stopped me in my tracks."

She said the front desk employee told her about Planet Fitness' "no-judgment" policy, which allows people to use changing room based on "their sincere, self-reported gender identity."

Unsatisfied, she said she called Planet Fitness' corporate headquarters and heard the same thing.

"That should be something they pointed out when I signed up," she said.

"If you have male parts you don't need to be in the women's locker room. I don't care what you are; I don't care if you're gay lesbian, transgender or transvestite. I am uncomfortable with you as a male in my locker room, in my restroom."

She returned to the gym Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday "to get the word out" to other women that they "let men in the women's locker room," she said.

"Every day I said 'just so you know, there's a man they allow in this locker room and they don't tell you that when you sign up,' " she said.

The next day, she found out that her membership had been canceled.

Cormier said Planet Fitness needs to do a better job of informing members of its policy allowing members to use whichever locker room corresponds with their gender identity, which refers to a person's psychological identification as a man, woman or another gender.

"The manner in which this member expressed her concerns about the policy exhibited behavior that management at the Midland club deemed inappropriate and disruptive to other members, which is a violation of the membership agreement and as a result her membership was canceled," Gosselin said in a statement on behalf of Planet Fitness.

"Planet Fitness is committed to creating a nonintimidating, welcoming environment for our members. Our gender identity nondiscrimination policy states that members and guests may use all gym facilities based on their sincere self-reported gender identity."

LGBT advocates applauded the Planet Fitness policy, saying it was necessary to ensuring the safety and privacy of transgender individuals.

Planet Fitness has the right to allow members to use whichever locker room corresponds with their gender identity, Alison Gill, senior legislative council for the Human Rights Campaign, told MLive.

Even though gender identity is not a protected class under Michigan anti-discrimination laws, transgender individuals still have the right to use whichever bathroom they feel comfortable using, attorney Jay Kaplan with the ACLU of Michigan's LGBT Project told MLive.

"A transgender woman would be much more at risk for her safety if she had to use the men's bathroom," he said.

Cormier does not see it that way. But she agrees with LGBT advocates on one potential solution: unisex, single-stall bathrooms.

If you've ever wanted to see a bunch of naked ladies all in one room, now you know how to do it!

On a serious note, I would never wish rape on anyone... BUT... I'm afraid it's going to have to happen in order for businesses that allow shit like this to get it through their heads. It WILL happen sooner or later. And the sooner it happens, the sooner this shit ends so that it doesn't happen to others.

Last edited by Rusty Jones; 03-09-2015 at 11:52 AM.

"Well... Uber's going to "driverless" cars soon, and their research probably shows that they're a natural fit (when it comes to getting paid for doing nothing)."
-Rainmaker, referencing black males

Let's not forget that this gym is a business. The only thing that will overcome the political correctness (if that's the proper term in this case) is the loss of business. If enough of their members complain, or cancel memberships, Planet Fitness will come up with a contingency plan in a hurry. Will that happen? Probably not.

Let's not forget that this gym is a business. The only thing that will overcome the political correctness (if that's the proper term in this case) is the loss of business. If enough of their members complain, or cancel memberships, Planet Fitness will come up with a contingency plan in a hurry. Will that happen? Probably not.

The problem is that whenever a business is on a particular side of a controversy, any business they lose will be more than made up for by individuals who also stand on that side of the controversy - so expect a large influx on certain segments of the LGBT community... and I emphasize "certain segments of" because I can't imagine that all, or even most, homosexuals who are not transexual would agree with Planet Fitness. For example, lesbians have vaginas too and I can't imagine that they'd react any different to a dude whipping his dick out in the locker room than straight women would.

"Well... Uber's going to "driverless" cars soon, and their research probably shows that they're a natural fit (when it comes to getting paid for doing nothing)."
-Rainmaker, referencing black males

Sounds like Planet Fitness needs to re-label their restrooms. Instead of Mens and Womens they might as well just say "Urinals" and "Non-Urinals" you are free to use whichever you want.

On a side note, I'm not completely opposed to unisex restrooms anyways. If the stalls have dividers and doors it doesn't really bother me whether it's another man or a woman next to me. I'm not shy though. I suppose this is probably a bigger deal to women than it is men. Most of us men will whip our dicks out and pee anywhere.

What's funny is that there religious right wing extremists, talking about homosexuals with an agenda indoctrinating our children... but now, they may not be to far off.

What if my wife brought our 8 year old daughter to the gym with her? They're in the locker room changing into their workout clothes and then, all of a sudden, some dude starts stripping down and then a big buldging hairy cock pops out... while my eight year old daughter is standing five feet away!

Eventually, they've gotta draw the line somewhere.

"Well... Uber's going to "driverless" cars soon, and their research probably shows that they're a natural fit (when it comes to getting paid for doing nothing)."
-Rainmaker, referencing black males

What's funny is that there religious right wing extremists, talking about homosexuals with an agenda indoctrinating our children... but now, they may not be to far off.

What if my wife brought our 8 year old daughter to the gym with her? They're in the locker room changing into their workout clothes and then, all of a sudden, some dude starts stripping down and then a big buldging hairy cock pops out... while my eight year old daughter is standing five feet away!

If you've ever wanted to see a bunch of naked ladies all in one room, now you know how to do it!

On a serious note, I would never wish rape on anyone... BUT... I'm afraid it's going to have to happen in order for businesses that allow shit like this to get it through their heads. It WILL happen sooner or later. And the sooner it happens, the sooner this shit ends so that it doesn't happen to others.

Exactly. Now if that person had been properly diagnosed and was undergoing treatments, i MIGHT see PF's argument, but since all they require is someone to "Self report" and there is no way to verify it, how can they be sure of someone's sincerity?

And the part i find fubar about it, is all those saying "Good on PF" in the comments on some of the news sites.. Would they be equally as 'good on them' if it was their wife/sister/daughter who was in that changing room and a man came in?

Originally Posted by sandsjames

Let's not forget that this gym is a business. The only thing that will overcome the political correctness (if that's the proper term in this case) is the loss of business. If enough of their members complain, or cancel memberships, Planet Fitness will come up with a contingency plan in a hurry. Will that happen? Probably not.

With how they are revoking the memberships of those who complain, i can see a MASSIVE reduction in their membership roster real quick.

Originally Posted by SomeRandomGuy

Sounds like Planet Fitness needs to re-label their restrooms. Instead of Mens and Womens they might as well just say "Urinals" and "Non-Urinals" you are free to use whichever you want.

On a side note, I'm not completely opposed to unisex restrooms anyways. If the stalls have dividers and doors it doesn't really bother me whether it's another man or a woman next to me. I'm not shy though. I suppose this is probably a bigger deal to women than it is men. Most of us men will whip our dicks out and pee anywhere.

True dat. I have been in many public areas where guys don't really give a hoot it seems if a woman walks into their toilets, and uses a close off toilet. BUT even a guy just going in to use the sinks in a woman's (cause say the guys sinks are out of order) always seems to get those ladies in an uproar.

PS. I am glad it was someone else who reported this, cause i have a feeling if it had been me who did, it would not have gotten this level of response..

I'm not a very charismatic person, and I actually like it that way. If I say something and someone agrees with it, it's because they like what I said - it has nothing to do with how they see me personally.

But this is one of those times I wish I had "charisma." If I had it, I'd stage a mass occupation of opposite sex locker rooms at Planet Fitness.

"Well... Uber's going to "driverless" cars soon, and their research probably shows that they're a natural fit (when it comes to getting paid for doing nothing)."
-Rainmaker, referencing black males

I'm not a very charismatic person, and I actually like it that way. If I say something and someone agrees with it, it's because they like what I said - it has nothing to do with how they see me personally.

But this is one of those times I wish I had "charisma." If I had it, I'd stage a mass occupation of opposite sex locker rooms at Planet Fitness.